20 Essential Tips for a Healthy Pregnancy

Now that you are expecting, you will be getting a truckload of health tips for pregnancy. Do this, do that, don’t eat that, don’t go there… We get it; how overwhelming it can get. And the biggest confusion arises when you don’t know how to filter out the correct health tips for pregnant ladies from the redundant ones. In this post, we try our best to give you the best and most practical health tips for a healthy pregnancy so that you and your little sunshine are safe and healthy. Not only do these health tips clear some of the common worries, but they also make you aware of several physical issues you may expect during pregnancy. So, join us as we explore some unknown facts and information on staying healthy during pregnancy.

What Is a Healthy Pregnancy?

Today, everyone aims towards a balanced and healthy lifestyle. This focus on good health is even more pronounced when it comes to lifestyle choices for your baby and you. A healthy mother-to-be and a healthy pregnancy go hand-in-hand. Keeping healthy during pregnancy is not rocket science, nor does it involve too much planning or expenses. Considering some factors in mind, such as maintaining a healthy weight, eating a balanced diet, nutritious food, regularly exercising, taking adequate rest, and taking note of your emotional well-being, can do wonders.

How Should You Take Care of Your Health During Pregnancy?

You can increase your chances of a healthy pregnancy by taking good care of your health. Inculcating healthy habits for pregnancy not only ensures a smooth pregnancy but also adds to your overall well-being. The first trimester is crucial for you as you take baby steps on your pregnancy journey.

1. Early Pregnancy Care

Proper care for a healthy pregnancy should start as soon as you realise you are pregnant. Here are some important points you must keep in mind during the early stages of pregnancy:

• Consult your doctor and get early prenatal care, which includes the required prenatal tests.
• Take care of your diet, and avoid undercooked food, cold meat and unpasteurized dairy products to avoid ingesting bacteria that might harm the baby. Eat healthy and fresh food.
• Take prenatal vitamins and other required supplements like iron and folic acid. Folic acid is necessary to reduce the risk of birth defects in babies (1).
• Get adequate rest and exercise as required after consulting your doctor.
• Pay attention to your emotional health, ensure that you are stress-free, and keep yourself positive and happy, because you are likely to be on a rollercoaster ride during pregnancy.

2. Things to Take Care of During Pregnancy

As the pregnancy progresses, your needs change too. Here are some important things that you must be cautious about throughout pregnancy:

• Wear comfortable footwear and watch your step to avoid a fall.
• Wear seat belts while driving and ensure that you sit far away from the airbag.
• Avoid taking medicines without consulting your obstetrician.
• Avoid alcohol and smoking. Passive smoking is also harmful.
• Avoid caffeine and products with artificial colours.
• Avoid dehydration by drinking lots of water.
• Rest your feet to prevent fatigue. Your legs and ankles are prone to swelling. During the day, ensure that you put up your feet at a raised level frequently.
• Get adequate sleep and take naps, if required. A minimum of eight hours of sleep is required to keep you healthy.

What Can I Do During Pregnancy for a Healthy Baby?

Being pregnant is exciting and also includes a lot of changes in you and your lifestyle. Although staying healthy while pregnant is important to you, your thoughts are always on what you must do to ensure that your baby is healthy. The following are some pointers that can help you deliver a healthy baby:

• Maintain a healthy and nutritious diet because food provides you with energy, and what you eat is also one of the building blocks of your baby’s body. Eat more fresh vegetables, fruits, fish, grains, eggs and dairy products.
• Take prenatal multivitamin supplements to ensure that you and the baby are receiving all the required nutrients. The neural cord of the baby, which develops into the brain and spinal cord, requires vital nutrients like folic acid, calcium, and iron from the early days of pregnancy.
• Maintain stress-free days. Effective stress management plays an important role in keeping you healthy emotionally.

Tips for a Healthy & Safe Pregnancy

As some of your questions about a healthy pregnancy have been answered, let us now look at twenty quick tips that can come in handy for a healthy and safe pregnancy.

1. Organising Early Prenatal Care

Your first step would be to find a good doctor and a birthing centre during the early stages of your pregnancy so that you get the required prenatal care. Ensure that you choose a qualified, easily approachable doctor who can provide you with adequate guidance. It is advisable to plan the required ultrasound scans and tests in advance, so that you are aware of them and are well-prepared (2).

There are various pregnancy tests and scans, which are used for screening certain conditions and determining the health of the foetus and catching irregularities, well in advance.

2. Eat Wholesome and Nutritious Food

3. Drink Plenty of Water

Keeping yourself hydrated helps in maintaining the amniotic fluid levels. Ensure that you drink at least 10 full glasses of water every day. Less water can cause morning sickness, tiredness, cramps and also contractions during the second and third trimesters. Carry a water bottle and drink from a glass, stainless steel or BPA-free container so that oestrogen-mimicking toxins are not transferred to your baby.

4. Take Prenatal Supplements

To ensure that you and the baby are getting all the required nutrients in a sustainable way, you can take prenatal supplements. Prenatal multivitamins must be taken as supplements and not substituted for natural food. Consult your doctor before taking these multivitamins. Prenatal supplements contain folic acid and iron. The CDC and the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommend pregnant women to take daily prenatal vitamins that contain 400 micrograms of folic acid. Folic acid is a vital component that reduces the risk of the baby developing birth defects (5). Therefore, it is very important to take these supplements on time. After diagnosing your health, your doctor may prescribe you supplements, such as calcium, iron, vitamin D, or folic acid (6). 

5. Exercise Regularly

Your body is experiencing many changes. One of the most prominent changes is your shape and weight. Maintaining an active lifestyle with regular exercise will help you stay healthy and flexible. Exercise helps in stress management and goes a long way in helping you curb the demands of labour and motherhood. The NIH suggests aiming for at least 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity during pregnancy (7). You can take up any form of physical activity after consulting your doctor. Some activities include walking, swimming and yoga. During pregnancy, the volume of the blood increases, thereby increasing the strain on your heart. A 45-minute moderate exercise or workout schedule will boost circulation and strengthen your heart, and your baby will receive oxygen-rich blood for healthy development.

6. Get Some Rest

Adequate sleep and relaxation are required during pregnancy. Ensure that you sleep well and rest your feet as much as possible. Yoga and deep breathing can help you relax and calm down.

7. Avoid Alcohol, Drugs and Smoking

Avoid alcohol as it reaches your baby through the blood. It also increases the chances of giving birth to a baby with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS), which affects the baby’s mental growth. Drugs and smoking are also equally dangerous as they affect the baby’s growth and health. They also increase the risk of severe complications during pregnancy, including premature birth, miscarriage, and stillbirth (8).

8. Reduce Caffeine and Recharge With Fruits

Recharging yourself with fruits is more beneficial than caffeine. Research proves that caffeine increases the chances of miscarriage. Pregnant women are low on iron, and caffeine makes it difficult for your body to absorb iron. So, it is advisable to avoid caffeine.

9. Eliminate Environmental Dangers

If you are exposed to chemicals, pesticides, hazardous elements, radioactive elements, lead and mercury at your workplace or home regularly, you must contact your doctor and seek advice, as these are dangerous to you and your baby.

10. See Your Dentist

Hormonal changes during pregnancy lead to weaker gums. It is advisable to visit your dentist and take precautions to avoid gum disease. An increase in oestrogen and progesterone levels can cause bleeding and tender gums. So, oral care is very important during pregnancy.

11. Watch Your Emotional Health

Due to hormonal shifts during pregnancy, you might experience mood swings and emotional ups and downs. If you think you are depressed and it is affecting you, ensure that you get help and bounce back to normalcy.

12. Strengthening Pelvic Floor Muscles

Strengthening the pelvic floor muscles helps in easy delivery. It supports your uterus, bowels and bladder. Prenatal workouts under guidance help strengthen the pelvic floor muscles (9).

13. Track Your Weight Gain

A steady rise in your weight indicates the growth of the baby. So, tracking your weight is important to ensure that you are on the right track.

14. Wear Appropriate Clothing

Ensure that you get yourself comfortable clothing. As your weight and shape will be changing rapidly, fitting yourself in tight clothing can suffocate you and the baby.

15. Wear Appropriate Footwear

As your pregnancy progresses, your weight gain hampers the centre of gravity and creates a painful pressure on your feet. So, it is advisable to shop for footwear that is easy on your feet.

16. Take Care of Your Skin

During pregnancy, your skin becomes sensitive to sunlight. You are prone to sunburns and dark spots. Apply sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher.

17. Pamper Yourself

Although you need to watch what you eat, listen to your body and feed the cravings that pop up occasionally. Also, pamper yourself with a lunch out, a manicure, a much-needed day out with friends, or by taking a quiet walk to help you de-stress. These activities help both you and the baby.

18. Educate Yourself

Educate yourself about the different stages of pregnancy and be aware of the times when you need to seek medical help. Call your doctor if you have:

• Severe pain
• Cramps
• Vaginal bleeding
• Fluid leaking
• Dizziness
• Palpitations
• Swelling of joints
• A reduction in the movement of the foetus

19. Stress Management

Pregnancy-related lifestyle changes and hormonal changes may be demanding. Life during pregnancy is a rollercoaster ride and can overwhelm you. So, working towards managing stress is important. You can manage stress by changing how you react to situations at home and work. Meditation, yoga, talking to friends and getting involved in craft activities can help you be stress-free.

20. Talk to Your Baby

Talking to your baby, who is cuddled in your womb, can be a memorable and soul-soothing activity. It helps you build a bond and communicate with the little one. You can tell your baby how you feel about your family, things that you eat and activities that you do. You can also sing and read to your baby.

Signs of a Healthy Pregnancy

Keeping a tab on your health on a day-to-day basis and being aware of your general health goes a long way in ensuring that your pregnancy stays on the right track. Listen to your body and catch the signs so that you may pander to the needs it indicates. If you are hungry, eat a healthy snack and steer clear of junk food. If you are thirsty, drink water, or a nourishing drink like a fresh juice or coconut water, and avoid caffeine and aerated beverages. If you feel stressed, take time to relax with a good book or take a nap. Besides, do keep a tab on your vitals, which are indicators of good health. These include:

1. Normal Blood Sugar and Blood Pressure Levels

During pregnancy, the blood pressure levels are a little on the higher side, while the sugar levels vary. Therefore, it is required to monitor the blood pressure and the blood sugar levels. If possible, maintain a record so that you may discuss it with your doctor when needed.

2. Health of the Uterus and Placenta

The uterus and the placenta must be healthy to ensure that the foetus is safe until the end of the pregnancy. The placenta is attached to the wall of the uterus. A loosely attached placenta can lead to serious consequences. Do ask your doctor about the placement of your placenta, and about exercises that will help it be appropriately positioned .

3. Development of the Foetus

The growth of the baby and the health of the pregnancy are determined by the rate at which the foetus is developing. Factors such as weight gain determine the growth of the foetus. Lack of oxygen can be one of the factors that affect the foetus. Sometimes, this can interfere with the functions of the placenta. The movement of the foetus ensures that the baby is receiving adequate oxygen. You can start to feel the foetus movements as you advance into the second trimester of pregnancy. Feeling these movements and keeping a count of them indicates the health of your pregnancy.

4. Weight Gain

A steady increase in your weight determines the growth of the foetus and, eventually, the health of the pregnancy.

When to Consult a Doctor?

While certain symptoms may seem very weird, they actually turn out to be normal during pregnancy. Some are otherwise. Thus, it is essential to know which symptoms you should go to the doctor for. Call your doctor if you experience (10):

• Severe cramps
• Frequent nausea and vomiting
• Pain of any kind
• Dizziness or fainting
• Sudden decrease in the movement or activity of the baby
• Contractions at 20-minute intervals
• Vaginal bleeding or leaking fluid
• Heart palpitations
• Shortness of breath
• Difficulty walking
• Swelling in joints

FAQs

1. How much folic acid should I take during pregnancy?

Most experts advise pregnant women to take 400 to 800 micrograms of folic acid daily before conception and during early pregnancy to help prevent neural tube defects (11).

2. Is it safe to exercise while pregnant?

Moderate exercise, such as walking, swimming, and prenatal yoga, is safe to do during pregnancy. However, pregnant women avoid heavy lifting and strenuous exercises, like sprinting, that could severely elevate their body temperature.

3. Which foods should I avoid during pregnancy?

It is recommended to avoid raw seafood, unpasteurized dairy products and juices, raw or undercooked meat, deli foods, highly processed foods, excess salty or sugary items, and foods from unhygienic places that may carry harmful bacteria or parasites.

4. How much weight should I gain during pregnancy?

Healthy weight gain varies based on your pre-pregnancy BMI. Your doctor can recommend a suitable range to you. Here’s the BMI chart for your reference (4):

Plunging head-on into physical and emotional wellness, nutrition and health act as catalysts that boost your well-being during pregnancy. Immersing yourself in joy and taking care of your physical and emotional health will help you sail smoothly through this memorable journey.

Also Read:

Healthy Pregnancy Recipes
Dos and Don’ts for a Healthy Pregnancy
Signs of a Healthy and Unhealthy Baby in the Womb

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Sources References

1. Johns Hopkins Medicine – The First Trimester

2. University of Utah – Pregnancy – First Trimester, Weeks 1-13

3. NHS – Have a healthy diet in pregnancy

4. Govenment of Canada – Your Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy

5. NIH MedlinePlus Magazine – How to stay healthy during pregnancy

6. Nemours KidsHealth – Staying Healthy During Pregnancy

7. NIH – Health Tips for Pregnant Women

8. Tommy’s – Things to do and things to avoid in pregnancy

9. HSE – Pelvic floor muscle exercises

10. Brown Health University – Tips for a Healthy Pregnancy

11. CDC – About Folic Acid